22 March, 2021
Minestra – Rice and Potatoes/Riso e Patate
Riso e Patate is one of my all-time favorite minestre. I love it so much that to savor it I eat it with a fork even though it is a soup. Like most minestre it is quick and easy to make and is another delicious comfort food.
To make this savory dish you need…
Ingredients for 1 generous portion:
- ~2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion-thinly sliced
- 1-2 tomatoes*
- 3/4 cup potatoes – cut into small pieces
- 1/4 celery stalk with leaves – diced
- salt
- water
- 1 cup rice
- grated pecorino cheese
*about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce/puree can also be used instead of the tomatoes
In a saucepan over medium heat add the olive oil and chopped onion, cook until translucent (no more than 2-3 minutes). Add the tomatoes (remove the seeds first), diced celery, leaves of celery stalk, salt to taste, and cover with water and bring to a boil. Next add the cut-up potatoes and cook over low heat, stirring frequently until the potatoes are cooked through ~15-20 minutes. By now the juices will have evaporated a bit but still be brothy. In a separate pot cook the rice according to the package directions, drain and then combine with the potatoes in the saucepan. Serve with a generous amount of grated (pecorino) cheese.